Sai message for the day

[Guest guest]

All your discourses are value-oriented and nectarine. We notice today

`gratitude' a noble value, totally missing. How do our ancient epics

depict this value?

 

The Ramayana depicts this noblest value, gratitude, in an excellent

manner. Samudrudu (Ocean God) owes his existence to Sagara, a King of

the Surya dynasty. Rama was also of the same dynasty. So, Samudrudu

was very eager to express his sense of gratitude to Rama by

participating in the mission of rescuing Sita.. The opportunity to

serve Rama came his way when Hanuman was proceeding to Lanka in

search of Sita across the sky and over the mighty ocean.

 

Samudrudu approached Mainaka and said, " Look, Mainaka! You are a

mountain hiding yourself in the sea. I am sure you haven't forgotten

the old days when all the mountains had wings and could fly anywhere

and everywhere till Indra had clipped their wings in response to the

prayerful calls of people for help. Do you remember that you alone

were saved from this disgrace because of the intervention of

Vayudeva, wind-god to help you out? Well, his son, Hanuman, is now

passing this way to Lanka over the ocean where you are lying. Now is

your opportune moment to express your gratitude to his father. Please

pass on to him the secret of killing Lankini. Lankini is the female

demon guarding the entrance of Lanka. The secret is that if anybody

slaps her on the cheek, she will have an instantaneous death. She

knows that she will die in this way when a monkey finds its entry

into Lanka which will soon be followed by the fall of Lanka and the

death of Ravana. "

 

Mainaka accordingly took the opportunity and rose from the sea and

prayed to Hanuman, " Oh! Lord! Your father Vayudeva helped me, or else

I would have lost my wings. Hanuman! Please take rest here. Have some

fruits and then proceed. Let me also tell you how to kill Lankini,

the demon guarding the gate of Lanka. Slap her on the cheek. Only

then according to a curse, she will die " Hanuman said, " Mainaka! I

won't eat, drink, or take rest even for a moment until the task

assigned to me by Rama is completed. However, I appreciate your

gesture of gratitude. " Thus, both Mainaka and Samudrudu expressed

their gratitude. They are the ideals for everyone to emulate.

 

There is also another episode in the Ramayana. Vali abducted

Sugriva's wife, Ruma. Rama killed Vali and restored to Sugriva his

wife and kingdom. In order to express his gratitude to Rama for all

this, Sugriva offered to provide an army of vanaras, monkeys, to Rama

on his march to kill Ravana and other raksasas and rescue Sita. But

as ill-luck would have it, he was delayed in his mission. Rama sent

Lakshmana to remind Sugriva of his promise.

 

Full of fury Lakshmana went to Sugriva. Watching the seriousness of

the situation, Sugriva sent Tara to speak to Lakshmana. She

said, " Swami! This is the rainy season, and, it is coming to a close

very soon. By the time you go back, you will find three crores of

monkeys ready to assist you to fight the rakshasas in Lanka. My

husband, Sugriva, has not forgotten the promise given to Rama. He is

not ungrateful to Him. Swami Lakshmana! Don't you know how a couple

feel sad because of separation from each other! You have been seeing

your brother Rama feeling sad due to separation from his consort

Sita, Our position was also like that till recently. We felt

miserable because of separation from each other. Only now, by the

grace of Rama we are spending our time together happily. This does

not mean that we have forgotten the promise made to Him. Sugriva is

not of that type. " These words of Tara pacified the anger of

Lakshmana.

 

Sugriva stands for gratitude. It is the worst of sins to forget the

good done to you. A dog is a good example of gratitude. If you give a

morsel of food to a dog, it will never forget you. Should you not be

grateful to Swami, who is taking care of you, as we say like the eye

your eye-lid every moment of your life? Swami never wants or expects

anything from you. These values I have spoken of are for your own

good.